Aesop was not a Christian

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,
just as from the Lord, the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB)

Should we, as Christians, read classical literature written by non-Christians?

There are a lot of books in this world. Libraries are full of them, many written by non-Christians. You have probably already read, or will read, books written by non-Christians for school.Should we disregard and not read literature written by people who are not Christian simply because they are not Christian? We should read them not for the author, but for the content. For example, Aesop was not a Christian, yet many valuable lessons are explained through his stories when viewed through Christian glasses. Each story ends with a moral that is true even if the author doesn't fully know the One who makes it true.

Why would we read these books? Are they worth reading or should we disregard or discount them because they were writing by non-Christians? No! Truth can still be found in books written by non-Christians because we all reflect the image of God at all times, through our broken mirror. These stories still contain truths and reflect parts of God even though they may not know it, or even intend for it to. Even though some books are written by non-Christians, we shouldn't choose not to read them because they still reflect God and God’s creation. Now this doesn't mean that there aren't bad books out there that we shouldn't read. Some books are not edifying because they don’t reflect God’s beauty, truth and goodness.

[CLICK HERE for more information on the list of Great Books we use at Covenant.]

As part of their training in Rhetoric, our students in grades ten and up are required to develop and present a brief presentation to the school body during Chapel with guidance from their instructors and school curriculum. Each student presentation must be understandable and relevant to all age groups. Sowing seeds of rhetoric training by requiring them speak to all age levels has yielded a harvest for all to enjoy.

This week’s presentation was given by Daniel, one of our eleventh grade students (pictured above).